RAVIKUMAR Samarth turned the tables as he anchored the Pagariya Striker’s chase to perfection with a classic unbeaten century as they defeated defending champions Neco Master Blaster by five wickets to start their campaign on a positive note. Chasing 220, Pagariya Strikers achieved the target with seven balls to spare. If Neco Master Blaster rode on sixes, Pagariya Strikers built their innings mostly on boundaries with Samarth hitting 16 from a total of 27 in their innings. Samarth, who also hit two sixes, played with full confidence finding gaps regularly. The Vidarbha pro picked three boundaries from one of Deepesh Parwani’s overs and also from seamer Ananmay Jayaswal over. He elegantly opened the face of his bat and scored boundaries between point and third-man region. His half century came from 23 balls and had seven boundaries and a couple of sixes. Pagariya Strikers did lose wickets but they still managed to score 76 runs in powerplay despite losing R Sanjay on first ball of their innings and then Mohd Faiz for 24. Captain Yash Kadam was unlucky to get out after he playedon. Wicketkeeper-batter Shivam Deshmukh joined Samarth and the left-handed batter hit Parwani for a couple of sixes and a boundary. But the bowler had the last laugh as Deshmukh was caught at deep by Kadu for 39 runs.

 

Despite losing wickets from other end, Samarth kept the run rate in check with occasional boundaries and made sure they return home with two full points in their bag. Earlier, Adhyayan Daga (78; 42b, 4x4, 7x6) justified his position as a stand-in skipper while Tushar Kadu (87; 26b, 5x4, 10x6) toyed with Pagariya Strikers bowlers as Neco Master Blaster batters rained sixes to post a huge 219-8 after being asked to bat first. Pagariya Strikers bowlers did manage to contain Neco Master Blaster in the later part of the innings as they conceded only 19 runs in last three overs and took three wickets to keep the target achievable. Daga, captaining the side in place of regular skipper JiteshSharma, who decided to take‘rest’, started their innings witha flurry of boundaries and sixes. But it was Kadu who stole thelimelight with his six-hittingspree. The right-handed batter was in a marauding mood andhe spared none. Neco Master Blaster raced to89-1 in powerplay with Pagariya tasting only success when Lalit Yadav got the wicket of opener Vedant Dighade in the third over. After powerplay, Kadu continued with his towering sixes and occasional boundaries as Daga played second fiddle. Thecaptain, too, completed his half century off a six and the duoadded 124 runs for the secondwicket off 50 balls before Kaduwas caught by Yadav off Kadamon his personal score of 87 in 11thover. Yadav and skipper Kadamemerged as best Pagariya Strikers bowlers with three wickets each.